Think of all the best apps you’ve got on your mobile at present; Uber, Deliveroo, Amazon, Facebook, and many, many more and they all have one thing in common – app localisation.
What makes them such a global success is their ability to connect with customers at a local level by integrating local geographical features, a smooth user-experience, a mobile-friendly approach, with localised language options, and refined designs; these apps are skilfully adapted to appear as if they have been created for a specific region, language and audience.
To make the most of your app and ensure that customers have the best experience using it, read our article below…
What is app localisation?
App localization is the process of adapting a software application to account for different languages and regional variations.
It goes beyond translation and involves cultural, linguistic, and technical alterations to ensure the app is suitable for use in multiple regions around the world.
The principal aim of app localisation is to make the app more accessible and user-friendly for individuals who speak different languages and belong to diverse cultural backgrounds.
Key aspects of app localisation
There’s an app for everything these days and the only way to appeal to the 6 billion people who aren’t native English speakers, is to use app localisation because if you don’t, your competitors will!
For a company with global plans, app localisation is an absolute necessity.
Understanding what app localisation is, how it works, and what it encompasses is advantageous when considering your app localisation strategy and preparation, so below we’ve listed a few of the key aspects of app localisation:
Translation – language is one of the main aspects within app localisation and ensures that your target audience can interact with app content. This must include user interface elements, menus, buttons, error messages, and any other textual content within the application.
Cultural adaptation – adjusting content and design elements so they align with the cultural norms, preferences, and sensitivities of the target audience is the second consideration within app localisation. This may involve changes in images, colours, symbols, or even the overall user experience to resonate better with the local culture. If customers can’t navigate your app because it doesn’t ‘act’ as they expect, they will stop using it.
Formatting – adapting formats to match the conventions of the target region will include date, time, numeric, currencies, units of weights and measure, and so on. This is because different cultures and regions have differing preferences for the order of day, month, and year, the use of 12-hour or 24-hour time formats, phone and postcode format, and currency.
Legal requirements and regulations – app localisation helps ensure your app is compliant with local laws, guidelines, and regulations. This usually includes aspects such as, GDPR, privacy policies, data protection laws, and other regulatory considerations which might be linked either to industry or more general trade.
Testing – app localisation should also conduct thorough testing to ensure that the localised version of the app functions correctly and that there are no language-related bugs or issues. This includes checking for text expansion or contraction (some languages are much wordier than others so affect display and visual elements of the app) character encoding problems, and other language-specific challenges.
How app localisation helps support global integration
App localisation is a crucial element of any global integration strategy, helping to ensure effective communication in new markets, alignment and respect of differing cultural values or expectations, and by giving a superior user-experience which is vital for customer satisfaction and perceived brand value.
The following points highlight how app localisation supports global integration:
Improves market reach – localisation allows your app to reach a more diverse audience by overcoming language barriers. According to research, 65% of people are more likely to engage with an app that is presented in their native language, while 40% won’t consider buying from a site that doesn’t offer their native language.
Increased cultural appeal – each region or culture of the world has unique aspects which make them different from others; idioms, geographical features, customs, and so on, which when properly adapted for regions variations make the app more relatable to the target audience, increasing audience appeal.
Better user engagement – the increased cultural appeal generated by app localisation helps users engage with an app by making it feel familiar. It will resonate with the target audience by matching their expectations regarding aspects of design (such as colour, logos, images, vectors, and so on) and also by corresponding to their language expectations including, tone of voice, dialect, colloquialism, humour, and so on.
Increased revenue – an app which is localised for multiple markets can reach new audiences and therefore, tap into potential new revenue streams. Online buyers prefer to buy from apps or websites in their native language, so ensuring any in-app purchases or subscriptions are tailored to their preferred language is essential.
Continuous development – app localisation can also assist with future app development and improvements as feedback can be regionalised for specific areas with any changes being made according to precise locales or language options.
Global brand consistency – app localisation contributes to maintaining a consistent brand image across differing markets which helps establish a strong global voice and can improve brand faith.
Competitive advantage – offering a localised app can give your business a competitive edge. Users are more likely to choose an app that caters to their language and cultural needs over a non-localised competitor.
App localisation is a crucial element for a successful global integration, helping to ensure that language, cultural, and design elements are appropriate and suitable for the intended audience.
At Creative Word, our team of expert linguists, relationship managers and designers all understand these elements and are ready to help your business succeed in a global market.
Contact us now to discuss your requirements and see how we can help you achieve your global ambition.
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